Rob Ford files defence in jailhouse beating lawsuit accusation

Rob Ford denies he arranged the severe jailhouse beating of Scott MacIntyre, his sister's ex-partner, according to a statement of defence the mayor filed today.

MacIntyre filed a lawsuit against Ford in January, alleging Toronto's mayor conspired to have him beaten in jail, and called on police to investigate the incident.

In his lawsuit, MacIntyre pointed to a leaked video of Ford uttering death threats as evidence of intent to harm him.

In the statement of defence, Ford claims he was merely imitating professional wrestler Hulk Hogan, not threatening MacIntyre.

Ford was in a "private, jocular discussion in the supposed privacy of a friend's home," the statement reads, in which he was "discussing and imitating as a joke, the pre-match rant of a professional wrestler."

The video, Ford contends, was taken before Ford's arm-wrestling match with Hogan, which took place at ComiCon last summer.

Ford emphasized that whatever he said in the video was in private, mentioning the word "private" or "privacy" four times in one sentence.

Through his lawyers, Ford said MacIntyre's claim "knowingly lacks merit" and the accusations are "frivolous and vexatious."

Toronto police spokesman Mark Pugash said previously that the force is not investigating because MacIntyre has not filed an official complaint. "If he files a complaint, or reports a crime, we'll investigate," Pugash said.

Police will not start a criminal probe simply because MacIntyre has filed a civil lawsuit, he added.

The attack

MacIntyre was attacked while inside the Metro West Detention Centre on March 22, 2012.

According to his statement of claim, the attack occurred near a shower and resulted in MacIntyre’s left tibia and fibula being "severely fractured." He also suffered "facial lacerations and severe dental damage."

MacIntyre had to undergo surgery and spent months recovering from his injuries, according to the statement of claim.

When MacIntyre was sentenced on June 13, 2012, "the court correctly inferred that he had been attacked because he had been a bother to Ford and his family," the statement of claim says.

The document also alleges that Ford, Payman Aboodowleh, an assistant football coach who helped Ford with the Don Bosco Catholic Secondary School football team, and Aedan Petros, one of the football players, conspired together and with others "to arrange for the attack on the plaintiff and to cause him serious harm."

The lawsuit is seeks $1 million in general and special damages from each of the defendants, as well as additional aggravated, punitive and penal damages from them.